ARTICLE by JAVIER SOLANA,
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
on the occasion of the Thessaloniki Summit
FOR VIJESTI (Montenegro)
"Thessaloniki: closer to Europe"
This weekend’s meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, between Heads of State and
Government from European Union member countries, the acceding and candidate
countries and the countries from the Western Balkans will mark an important new phase
in the relationship between the EU and the region.
The process, that has seen the countries of the region moving ever closer towards the EU,
began in Zagreb in November 2000 – when EU and Western Balkan leaders met together
for the first time. At the Zagreb Summit, EU leaders and for the first time democraticallyelected governments from all the countries of the region jointly laid out a European
vision for the region and underscored their commitment to support democracy, stability
and promote the rule of law and economic development. This commitment has since
intensified, moving beyond the primary goal of post conflict stabilisation and developing
a genuine European perspective for the entire Western Balkans.
Last December in Copenhagen, EU Heads of State and of Government committed
themselves to support the Western Balkans in their preparation for further European
rapprochement and ultimate membership. You are now in the process of building and
consolidating the joint institutions of the new Union of Serbia and Montenegro and soon
a feasibility study would provide the opportunity to examine whether you are ready to
move on in signing an Stabilisation and Association Agreement and get a step closer to
the EU.
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The Stabilisation and Association Process will remain the cornerstone of the path towards
the EU. At the Thessaloniki Summit the Stabilisation and Association Process will be
strengthened and enriched by applying in the Western Balkans some of the mechanisms
used to support the enlargement process of the Central and Eastern European countries
that are about to join the EU next year. There will be additional incentives and financial
support to assist the efforts by the governments in the region to move closer to the EU.
However, progress towards integration will depend on each country’s performance in
implementing reforms. This process will be supplemented by more frequent periodic
meetings between governments of the region and the EU counterparts, whose aim is to
develop a more intense working relationship between the region and the EU. However,
there are no overnight miracles. The EU’s assistance will only succeed if it is matched by
a genuine commitment of the governments and the peoples of the region.
Together with your neighbours, you must redouble your efforts to make the necessary
reforms. And you must ensure the establishment and consolidation of your common
institutions between Serbia and Montenegro, including the adoption of the Action Plan on
economic harmonisation in order to proceed towards the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement. You must establish an adequate administrative capacity, modernise your
economy and strengthen your judiciary. You must continue with your successes so far in
curbing organised crime, human trafficking and smuggling. There is a lot of work to be
done.
There is no doubt that the future of the region is within the EU. The region is an integral
part of a united Europe. Thessaloniki is not the end of a process. Thessaloniki is the
beginning of a reinforced partnership which should be translated into reinforced efforts,
most importantly on the part of the countries of the region, to move towards our common
future of peace and security as well as economic and social development across our
European continent.
Brussels, 18 June 2003 / 550 words
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